Portuguese Phrase
Sim, estão ali.
Meaning
A short, affirmative response meaning “Yes, they are over there.” It confirms the existence or presence of something and points to its location.
When to use
Use this phrase when someone asks whether something is present or where it is, and you want to answer positively while indicating that it is located a short distance away from the speaker.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Simestãoali
Sim (affirmation)
Used to answer positively to a yes/no question; it can stand alone or precede the rest of the sentence.
Estar (3rd‑person plural)
Estar expresses temporary location. The form ‘estão’ matches a plural subject (they/objects).
Ali (demonstrative adverb)
‘Ali’ points to a place that is not right next to the speaker (more distant than ‘aqui’, but closer than ‘lá’).
🗨In Conversation
Os livros estão aqui?
Are the books here?
Sim, estão ali.
Yes, they are over there.
✕Common Mistakes
Sim, está ali.
‘Está’ is singular; the subject is plural, so you need ‘estão’.
Sim, estão lá.
‘Lá’ means farther away; use ‘ali’ for a nearer location.
Sim estão ali.
Missing comma can make the sentence harder to parse for beginners.
↔Alternatives
Sim, eles estão ali.
Yes, they are over there.
Claro, estão ali.
Sure, they are over there.
Com certeza, estão ali.
Certainly, they are over there.
Cultural Tip
In Brazilian Portuguese, ‘ali’ is used for a location that the speaker can see but is not right next to them. If the place is farther away, you would use ‘lá’; if it’s right next to you, you’d say ‘aqui’. Also, native speakers often drop the comma in casual speech: “Sim estão ali.” but keeping it makes the sentence clearer for learners.